Tennis Australia officials code of behaviour

Tennis Australia, the ITF, ATP and WTA Tour require a high standard of professionalism from all certified officials and other officials working at TA, ITF, ATP and WTA Tour events.

These standards are as follows:

Officials must be in good physical condition.

Officials must have natural or corrected vision of 20-20 and normal hearing. In addition, International Chair Umpires must submit an eye test form each year to ITF Officiating and all certified officials must submit an eye test form every two years to ITF Officiating.

Officials must be on time for all matches assigned to them.

Officials must understand the Rules of Tennis, the Duties and Procedures for Officials and all TA, ITF, ATP and WTA Tour Tournament Regulations and Codes of Conduct for events at which they are officiating.

Officials should maintain personal hygiene and should maintain a professional appearance at all times.

Officials must not drink any alcoholic drinks before any match on the day they are to officiate, or at any time on-site while play is in progress, or while in uniform. As a guideline, officials should not drink alcoholic drinks for 12 hours before officiating.

Officials must maintain complete impartiality with respect to all players at all times. An official must not officiate in any match in which he/she has a relationship with one of the players that might be considered a conflict of interest. The perception of a conflict shall render an official unsuitable for such an assignment.

Officials shall not socialise with or become intimate with players, or enter into any relationship or take any action that casts doubt on his/her impartiality as a tennis official. However, officials are not prohibited from staying in the same hotels as players nor from attending social functions at which players may be present.

Certified officials must register any potential conflict of interest with ITF Officiating. This includes when a certified official is a professional tennis player, National Tennis Coach, a National Tennis Team Captain, a close friend, relative or coach of a professional tennis player. They should also register the fact that they work for a company that has a commercial interest in tennis, or as a Tournament Director/Organiser.

Officials must not criticise or attempt to explain calls or decisions by other officials to anyone other than to those officials directly, the Supervisor/Referee or the TA, ITF, ATP and WTA Tour staff responsible for officiating.

Officials must not bet anything in any manner in connection with any tennis event. Officials must not induce or encourage any other person to gamble or enter into any other form of financial speculation on any match or occurence at any tennis event. Officials must not receive any money, benefit or other reward (whether financial or otherwise) for the provision of any information concerning the weather, the players, the courts, the status of, or the outcome of, any match or occurrence at any tennis event.

Officials shall not have conversations with the crowd, except in the ordinary course of controlling the crowd during a match.

Officials must not participate in a media interview or meeting with a journalist where his/her statements relating to tennis officiating can be printed or broadcast without the approval of the Supervisor/Referee.

Officials must at all times conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner, giving due regard to the Supervisor/Referee, players, officials, Tournament personnel and public. International and White Badge Officials must also set a good example in their conduct to other officials.

Officials must make all tournament related requests to the Supervisor/Referee or Chief Umpire, rather than making requests directly to the Tournament Director or staff.

An official shall commit to each event he/she works until released by the Supervisor/Referee. If an official has accepted a tournament selection, he/she shall not withdraw from that tournament to officiate at another tournament at the same time, without the permission of the TA, ITF, ATP or WTA Tour officiating representatives.

Violations of the Code for Officials must be reported by the Supervisor/Referee to the governing body of the tournament (TA, ITF, ATP or WTA Tour). However, if a certified official commits such Violation, this must be reported immediately to the TA, ITF, ATP and WTA Tour for the matter to be considered. The Supervisor/Referee has the authority to release an official from a tournament for a violation of the Code for Officials, but where practical this decision should be taken together with the person responsible for officiating in the relevant organisation. A Supervisor/Referee may choose not to assign an official at a tournament until he/she has been able to contact the person responsible for officiating in the relevant organisation. An official who violates any of these required standards may have their certification withdrawn, or he/she may be suspended from officiating for a certain period, as decided by the TA, ITF, ATP and WTA Tour officiating representatives.

Officials must operate within the rules and spirit of tennis, promoting fair play over winning at any cost.

Officials must encourage and support opportunities for people to learn appropriate behaviours and skills.

Officials must support opportunities for participation in all aspects of the sport.

Officials must treat each person as an individual.

Officials must display control and courtesy to all involved with the sport. Officials must respect the rights and worth of every person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.

Officials must respect the decisions of officials, coaches and administrators in the conduct of the sport.

Officials must wherever practical, avoid unaccompanied and unobserved one-on-one activity (when in a supervisory capacity or where a power imbalance will exist) with people under the age of 18 years.

Officials must adopt appropriate and responsible behaviour in all interactions.

Officials must act with integrity and objectivity, and accept responsibility for their decisions and actions.

Officials must ensure their decisions and actions contribute to a safe environment.

Officials must ensure their decisions and actions contribute to a harassment free environment.

Officials must not tolerate harmful or abusive behaviours.

Officials must place the safety and welfare of the athletes above all else.